The global COVID-19 pandemic has left many of the Solent’s front line staff without the required protection to safely carry out their daily routines of helping others in their communities and hospitals.
We started as a group of three in Portsmouth and our community has grown in 8 days to over 50, makers, movers, coordinators and assemblers. Overseen by the community members of The Makers Guild CIC.
Joining up with a national team, 3Dcrowd.uk as a local hub, we are part of a 5000+ volunteers community, making face shields for our local areas across the country.
In those 8 days we have assembled a 3d printing team who are responsible for 819 face shields. A laser cutting group to produce our first 130 laser cut face shields. Without a penny of funding to start with, we have used open source designs and overcome supply issues to those who are not covered by front line PPE.
We didn't want to start for a fundraiser at first, we just got on with the immediate and urgent demand for 'something' and so far in 8 days have delivered over 800 to GP Surgeries, care homes, police, health visitors and community keyworkers. Working with the NHS Southeast Hampshire to coordinate depots for distribution to a wider network of doctors surgeries, nurses, and health workers.
To date, we have now manufactured over 1500 in total, with more produced every minute. All supplied free of charge.
We have a fantastic group of volunteers, and support from some amazing organisations that are working around the clock to fulfil the requests we are receiving.
Schools: Priory Secondary School, UTC, Ditcham Park School and St Edmond’s Secondary School
Organisations: Victory Trophies, Mailboxes Etc, Selden Masts Ltd
Individuals: Michael Buchan, Paul Lawson, Ming Wu, Sharilyn Woodman, Phil Davies, Miguel Blasco, Henry Marks, Rod LaSel, Murray Lane, John Bushby, Andy Langworthy, Mike King, Matthew Brydon, Julia de Klerk, Katherine Coghlan, Rich Thoroughgood, Claire Thoroughgod, Martin Pavier, Richard Walker, James Crook, Lee Setford, Jez Johnston, Jen Keane, Chris Rich, Christopher Parke, Alan Richards, Colin Macey, Lisa Walker, James Carter, Luke Twigt, Jo LaSel, Matt Sills and many more to add
With the demand surging for what we are producing on a daily basis and with our community growing every day, please help us to purchase the materials we require in order to keep our volunteer's machines running.
You may have noticed pictures of the materials we supplied, videos of the advantages of our products and testimonials from people we supplied to have been used on another fundraiser. We are not happy about this, said so at the time. We have been busy making and delivering face shields!!!
PLEASE help us to help them.
All funds will go towards the purchasing of 3D Print filament (PLA and PETG), clear sheets for visors, polypropylene or polycarbonate for laser cutting, elastics, bags, boxes and some fuel for our coordinators to deliver the face shields to where it is needed.
When supply chains of ppe make us irrelevant we will stop...I will produce books, have them audited and any surplus will go to a charity...the 3d printers we have had donated (a few so far, £250 each if you'd like to know) will be returned or donated to local schools.
No one is getting paid, no one is billing 'admin' or management charges...so everything you donate is turned into visors delivered free to those who are heroically looking after us.
Many thanks for considering us
Thank you
